Clothes pin



Aug. 14, 1956 w. HlETALA I 2,758,349

CLOTHES PIN Filed Oct. 18, 1954 ATTORNEY CLOTHES PIN William Hietala, Poplar, Wis. Application October 18, 1954, Serial No. 462,761

'1 Claim. (Cl. 24-139) This invention relates to a clamp or holding device, and more particularly to a clothespin.

The object of the invention is to provide a clothespin which is adapted to be made of a single piece of material such as wire, and wherein the clothespin is shaped to provide a pair of clamping jaws that are mounted for movement towards and away from each other, there being handle portions for causing movement of the jaws towards and away from each odter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothespin that is adapted to be made of wire and wherein the clothespin automatically locks on the clothesline or other article so that positive grip will he efiected on the line and the clothes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothespin which is made of a single piece of wire that will not rust and which will withstand rough usage without breaking or getting out of order.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothespin which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part or" this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure l is a perspective view of the clothespin, constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown a clothespin which is adapted to be made of a single piece of suitable material such as wire, and the clothespin includes a coil that includes a plurality of superposed convolutions 11. One end of the coil 10 terminates in a first substantially straight portion 12 which has an arcuate portion 14 extending therefrom, and extending from the arcuate portion 14 is a second portion 15. The portions 15 and 12 are arranged in substantially spaced parallel relation with respect to each other, and the portions 12, 14 and 15 cooperate to define a first handle 13.

Extending inwardly from the second portion 15 and projecting through the coil it is a third portion 16. Ar-- ranged at right angles with respect to the third portion 16 and extending therefrom is a fourth portion 17, and arranged transversely with respect to the fourth portion 17 is a fifth portion 18. The fifth portion 13 is arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to the third portion 16, and the fifth portion 18 also extends through the coil 10. Extending from the fifth portion 18 is a sixth portion 19, and projecting from an end of the sixth portion 19 is an arcuate or curved section 29. A seventh portion 21 extends from the arcuate portion 20,

- tes Patent and the portions 21 and 19are,arrangedinsubstantiallv spaced parallel relation with respect to each other; The

portions 19, 20 and 21 cooperate to define a first gripping jaw 23, and an end of the seventh portion 21 is shaped to define a loop 22 which pivotally engages the portion 18.

Extending from the other end of the coil 10 is an eighth portion 24 which has an arcuate portion 25 extending therefrom, and a ninth portion 26 extends from the arcuate portion 25 and is arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to the portion 24. The portions 24, 25 and 26 cooperate to define a second handle 27, and the handles 13 and 27 are adapted to be manually depressed when the clamping jaws are to be released. When manual pressure on the handles 13 and 27 is released, the jaws 34 and 23 automatically lock or clamp the article such as the clothesline or article of clothing therebetween.

Extending inwardly from the ninth portion 26 is a tenth portion 22 and the portion 28 projects through the coil 1%. A portion 29 is arranged at right angles with respect to the portion 28, and a portion 30 extends from the portion 29 and the portion 30 projects through the coil 149.

The clothespin is further shaped to include a portion 31 which extends outwardly from the portion 30, and an arcuate section 32 is arranged at the end of the portion 31, the arcuate section 32 terminating in a portion 33. The portions 33, 32 and 31 coact to define the jaw 34 which may be of smaller size than the jaw 23. The end of the portion 33 terminates in a loop 35 which pivotally engages the portion 30.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a Clothespin which may be made of noncorrosive wire and wherein articles such as a clothesline and clothes will be positively gripped when manual pressure is released on the handles 13 and 27. In use when the clothespin is to be arranged in engagement with an article, the handles 13 and 27 are moved towards each other and this causes the pair of jaws 34 and 23 to separate. With these jaws separated the clothesline or articles of clothing can be positioned between the jaws and then when manual pressure on the handles 13 and 27 is released, the jaws 23 and 34 will automatically close due to the inherent resiliency of the article. It is to be noted further that the jaw 34 is slightly smaller than the jaw 23 so that when the Clothespin is in its closed position, the jaw 34 has its curved portion 32 projecting through the space between the portions 19 and 21 of the other jaw 23. Thus, a more positive lock or clamping effect will result. The straight portions of the clothespin which extend through the convolutions 11 of the coil 10 define bearings whereby the pivotal movement of the handles and jaws is brought about.

It is to be noted that the clothespin includes a balanced structure which will not move out of alignment when applying the pin to a clothesline or to articles of clothing so that a more positive grip upon the clothes results. Further, one of the gripping jaws of the pin is narrower than the other jaw to thus increase the grip upon the clothes. By providing the convolutions 11 in the form of the coil 10, a spring is provided whereby the jaws close when pressure is released.

I claim:

A cl'othespin constructed from a single piece of wire shaped to define a coil having a plurality of convolutions, a pair of handle members and a pair of jaw members, said handle members each having a straight portion extending through said coil in bearing contact with the interior peripheral surface of the convolutions of Patented Augx.- .14, 1956 3 4 the coil and said jaw members each having a straight References Cited in the file of this patent portion extended through said coil in bearing contact UNITED STATES PATENTS with the peripheral interior surface of the convolutions of the coil at a side opposite the straight portion of said 1,970,202 stfange 1913 handle members, the terminal ends of said wire being 5 11443229 Lltflefield 2351923 pivotally connected at opposite ends of the straigh per- FOREIGN PATENTS Jaw members' 224,949 Great Britain of 1924 289,982 Italy of 1931 

